LAREDO, Texas – A trio of Greyhound players recorded season-highs before falling to Texas A&M-International 3-1 (20-25, 22-25, 27-25, 22-25) Friday night.
Senior middle blocker Christelle Kialanda led the squad offensively with a season-best 15 points and 13 kills while sophomore libero M’Lee Vinson got after it defensively with a career-high 27 digs. Freshman setter Qitana Sapiga recorded her third double-double of her collegiate career with 13 assists and a personal best 17 digs.
The Hounds jumped out to an early 5-2 advantage to begin the game highlighted by a kill from senior outside hitter Sarah Tuioti-Mariner but inefficient offense allowed for the Dustdevils to make a run of their own. Eastern totaled match lows in kills (eight) and attack percentage (.026) in the first frame as TAMUI would win with a 25-20 final.
Trailing 21-15 in the second set, the Greyhounds seemed to gain some momentum as they mounted a 5-1 run. The two squads would alternate kills for the final five points as the home team held on for a 25-21 victory.
Eastern posted game-highs with 15 kills and a .217 hitting percentage in the third frame which required extra points to determine a winner. Kills from Tuioti-Mariner and junior outside hitter Jasmine Gannon gave the Hounds a 23-21 advantage late in the set before the Dustdevils took the lead 24-23 following three consecutive points.
ENMU benefited from a Dustdevil service error before regaining the lead following one of Kialanda’s team-high 13 kills. The home squad would tie the set at 25 the next point before the Hounds rattled off the final two points sparked by a kill from Gannon to edge out a 27-25 victory.
The Hounds held the Dustdevils to a game-low .094 hitting percentage and led 20-17 late in the final frame. TAMIU scored eight of the last ten points as they would take the set and the match with a 25-22 final.
The Hounds will have a short turnaround as they travel to Kingsville, Texas tomorrow to face Texas A&M-Kingsville at 1 p.m.
